A known image reading apparatus applies light from a light source to a document placed on a placement surface of a document table and receives reflected light from the document by a light reception unit of a light reception element, etc., thereby reading an image of the document. In this kind of image reading apparatus, if a part of the document is spaced from the placement surface in a height direction (perpendicular to the placement surface) because of deformation, etc., of the document, the light applied from the light source and reflected on the document is not precisely incident on the light reception unit and it may be impossible to read a good image. Then, an image reading apparatus is proposed, in which a plurality of light sources for applying light toward the placement surface along different optical axes are provided such that the optical axes of the light sources cross an optical axis of the light reception unit at different positions, whereby if a part the document is spaced from the placement surface, an image can be well read.